G20 Summit 2023: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the first session of G20 Summit 2023 in the national capital today (September 9). At the meeting venue, the display card in front of PM Modi showcased 'Bharat' written on it.
This move came amid the ongoing 'India vs Bharat' controversy after the Congress on September 5 attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government over a G20 dinner invite referring to President Droupadi Murmu as “President of Bharat”, accusing the government of being scared of the I.N.D.I.A bloc and diverting from issues such as price rise and rising joblessness.
PM Modi was identified as the leader representing 'Bharat' at the G20 Summit on Saturday as he made his opening remarks at the beginning of the two-day meeting. The government has used 'Bharat', a name used in the Constitution for the country along with India, in several official G20 documents. Official sources have said it is a conscious decision.The name card in front of Modi as he addressed the gathering at the Bharat Mandapam, the venue of the Summit, said 'Bharat'.
The ruling BJP has cheered the use of Bharat, citing the ancient Hindi name's cultural roots. Some leaders claimed the English name 'India' is a colonial legacy. The party has, however, largely avoided getting into the 'Bharat vs India' debate with its leaders noting that the Constitution uses both names for the country.
INDIA VS BHARAT row:
Opposition leaders have alleged that the shift to using the name “Bharat” instead of India in English language communication, was a way of preventing the alliance from being identified with the country’s name or could even be a signal from the government that the special session of Parliament to be held between September 18-22 would be about some change in the name of the country.
The G20 Summit is being held in the National Capital from September 9 to 10 under India’s presidency and several heads of state from across the world, including US President Joe Biden, are attending the event.
1st session of G20:
During the event, PM Modi said, "Before we start the proceedings of G20, I want to express my condolences over the loss of lives due to an earthquake in Morocco. We pray that all injured recover at the earliest. India is ready to offer all possible assistance to Morocco in this difficult time."
PM Modi said, "The 21st century is an important time to show the world a new direction. This is the time when old problems are seeking new challenges from us and that is why we should move ahead fulfilling our responsibilities with a human-centric approach. If we can defeat COVID-19, we can also triumph over the trust deficit caused by the war."
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